Lucknow Super Giants’ new mentor, Zaheer Khan, has endorsed the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) impact player rule, asserting that it benefits the overall development of Indian cricket. Zaheer assumed his role on Wednesday, succeeding Gautam Gambhir, who left in late 2023 to concentrate on his role as India’s head coach.
At a press conference held at the team’s owner’s headquarters, Zaheer spoke in favour of the impact player rule, which was introduced during the 2023 IPL season. Despite some criticism from prominent players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma—Kohli citing it as disruptive and Rohit admitting he was “not a big fan”—Zaheer remains supportive.
Zaheer highlighted that the rule has offered valuable opportunities to young and uncapped Indian players. “It has definitely given opportunities to a lot of uncapped Indian talents. This will become more evident in the mega auction when teams start focusing on these players,” he said. He emphasized that the real advantage comes from the experience gained through match play. “The time spent in match situations is invaluable. That’s the biggest plus,” Zaheer noted.
He also addressed concerns regarding the impact player rule’s effect on all-rounders, suggesting that while it may reduce opportunities for partial all-rounders, genuine all-rounders will still be highly valued. “If you are a genuine all-rounder, your value remains significant due to your ability to contribute both with bat and ball,” Zaheer added.
